April 12, 2012

By Michael WeddingtonDoctoral Student, Higher Education and Student Leadership Program at the University of Northern Colorado

Hawaii High School College Counselor Survey Results and Report:Results, Analyses, and Discussion Derived From a Survey of Hawaii State High School College Counselors

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I hereby extend a warm and heartfelt aloha kakou to my former high school college counselor colleagues throughout Hawaii state who took the time, trouble and care to participate in this survey. I know how much you each have on your respective plates each day, so to speak, and that filling out a time-consuming survey online is the least of your concerns.

I would also like to extend a sincere mahalo nui loa to my former employer in Maui, St. Anthony Jr.-Sr. High School. I appreciate the opportunity (then) Principal Father Jim Orsini and (then) Vice Principal and Academic Dean (and current Principal) Patricia Rickard extended when they hired me to serve as school college and career counselor in 2008. I also very much appreciate the wisdom and kindness that many of my former colleagues (including especially Melony NeSmith, Malorie Chong, Karen Orth, Cindy Martin, and many others) generously shared with me as I undertook the daily task of attempting to provide a bit of guidance to our wonderful students on matters related to college and career.

I have since moved on to pursue a passion for better understanding how to assist young people more successfully transition into independent adulthood. As each of you know so well, these are especially fast-changing and complicated times, and our high school students face the distinct and increasing possibility of “failing to launch” successfully into and through college and careers.

Meanwhile, our Hawaiian-educated and enculturated President leads the call these days in exhorting our high schools and colleges to produce ever more college-educated citizens, in order to meet the current and projected demands of our so-called “global” economy. What does that mean, exactly, for we high school college and career counselors? Are there ways we can more effectively meet and execute our kuleana with respect to the President’s exhortation?

I have learned and believe that the more information and data we have at our disposal, generally speaking, the better we can proceed at defining, carrying out, and assessing a plan of action. Accordingly, this particular survey is meant to meaningfully contribute towards such a process ,with the hopes of practically benefiting at the end of the day our students, their families, and our respective communities.

I welcome your feedback upon reading this report, when you have the time to study its contents. Again, mahalo nui loa for your participation.

Sincerely yours,

Michael Weddington

Doctoral Student, The University of Northern Colorado’s Higher Education and Student Leadership Program.

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The Challenge Before America

“Now is the time to build a firmer, stronger foundation for growth that will not only withstand future economic storms, but one that helps us thrive and compete in a global economy. It’s time to reform our colleges so that they provide Americans of all ages a chance to learn the skills and

knowledge necessary to compete for the jobs of the future.”

– President Barack Obama

In August of 2010, our Punahou School-, Columbia University-, and Harvard Law School-educated President issued the following call to America and Americans: “In an increasingly competitive world economy, America’s economic strength depends upon the education and skills of its workers. In the coming years, jobs requiring at least an associate degree are projected to grow twice as fast as those requiring no college experience. To meet this economic imperative, President Barack Obama asks every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training and set a new national goal: by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.” (U.S. Department of Education, 2010)

The challenge to regain global leadership in the area of higher education participation will be considerable, however. As a report by the Christian Science Monitor (2010) points out, the US led the world in college graduation rates before falling off about a decade ago. That is still evident in the education levels of America’s oldest working citizens: According to a College Board report, 38.5 percent of Americans age 55 to 64 have at least an associate’s degree, ranking fourth in a survey of 36 developed nations. However, other countries have now surpassed the US among the newest crop of workers. Among today’s American 25- to 34-year olds, slightly more than 40 percent have associate’s degrees or higher, a bit higher than for their parents’ generation. But that rate places the US only 12th of the 36 countries in the College Board study. Other nations have passed us by.

According to the Christian Science Monitor article (2010), Obama highlighted three reasons American college graduation rates have fallen behind that of other nations:

Rising costs. Tuition and housing costs rose 439 percent from 1982 to 2008, compared with a 147 percent increase in median family income (not adjusted for inflation), according to a 2008 report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

A disconnect between skills learned and skills needed. Obama has emphasized the role of community colleges throughout his presidency, urging (and funding) an upgrade in curriculums to teach more skills related to “the growing sectors of our economy.”

Dropout rates. More than one-third of US college students fail to complete their degrees six years after enrollment, the president said. He proposed investment in curriculum

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redesigns – especially remedial programs – to help grow graduation rates from the numbers already enrolling in colleges.

It is worth asking at this point why the President and so many educational, business, and civic leaders around the nation emphasize the importance of a college education. Why should we care on an individual, familial, community, and national basis?

The short answer is that our local, regional, and national economies increasingly require the kinds of educational preparation that college (including both 2-year and 4-year public and private institutions) can best provide our citizens. More than ever before in our nation’s history, jobs require skill sets that our postsecondary institutions are generally capable of providing, such as information-gathering and processing, critical thinking, planning, budgeting, communication, managing, and technological design and operation.

Jobs that merely require repetitive-, manual labor-oriented skills such as those formerly utilized to a large extent within such career fields as manufacturing, farming, fisheries, construction, and mining and logging are increasingly becoming a relic of the past as technologies are introduced that can perform the work of many people at lower costs. Consider the following job trend data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2010):

As this graphic vividly illustrates, goods-producing jobs such as manufacturing, construction, farming & fisheries, etc. have sharply declined over the past 50 years in relation to service-providing jobs (e.g. education and health services, business creation and management,

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technology, information-processing, tourism & hospitality, etc.) that tend to require at least some degree of college education.

Moving forward, studies indicate that every state (including Hawaii) will require a greater percentage of college-educated residents and workers. Let us take a closer look at what this means with respect to Hawaii state.

The Challenge Before Hawaii State

According to a comprehensive and detailed study produced by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce (2009) that has informed to an extent President Obama’s perspective on the state of American higher education , Hawaii state’s economic projections include the following:

Between 2008 and 2018, new jobs in Hawaii requiring postsecondary education and training will grow by 21,000 while jobs for high school graduates and dropouts will grow by 9,000.

Between 2008 and 2018, Hawaii will create 205,400 job vacancies both from new jobsand from job openings due to retirement.

131,100 of these job vacancies will be for those with postsecondary credentials, 62,000 for high school graduates and 13,000 for high school dropouts.

Hawaii ranks 12th in terms of the proportion of its 2018 jobs that will require a Bachelor’s degree, and is 47th in jobs for high school dropouts.

65% of all jobs in Hawaii (451,000 jobs) will require some postsecondary training beyond high school in 2018.

Using the same U.S. Department of Labor data sets, the non-profit organization Complete College America (2011) projects the following:

68% By 2020, jobs requiring a career certificate or college degree in Hawaii

41% Hawaii adults who currently have an associate degree or higher

27% Skills gap needed to close by 2020 to ensure a strong Hawaii state economy

What kinds of jobs are we talking about? That Hawaii state needs and will need to fill moving forward into the near future? I will discuss this topic when reviewing Question # 3 results below.

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In his aforementioned address to the nation in 2010 regarding the importance of increasing the proportion of college-educated citizens throughout the United States, President Obama mentioned reasons why Americans are not enrolling in and/or attaining college certifications and degrees at rates needed to maintain and advance the economic needs of our communities. These include rising costs, a disconnect between skills learned and skills needed in both K-12 education and college, and dropout rates. I will touch on each of these topics within the survey question discussions below.

College Persistence and Completion: Native Hawaiians

There is actually little research in the literature with regards to college persistence and completion for resident Hawaii students in general, particularly with respect to 4-year institutional attendance. What is existent focuses primarily upon 2-year college students who culturally identify as resident Hawaiian, as opposed to student residents who identify as Asian, Portuguese, and Caucasian, for examples (as Hawaii state has far more residents who self- identify as “mixed race” than anywhere else in the nation, the U.S. census simply fails to capture and express the racial complexities of citizens of the Aloha state).

As many Hawaii state educators and social workers already know, the issues of college persistence and completion are particularly critical to both the short-term and long-term prospects of native Hawaiians, as recent U.S. census data (2012) reveals that they are more likely to live in poverty, lack health insurance, face cultural and linguistic barriers to health and social services, and have higher infant mortality rates than Caucasians who live both in Hawaii and across the mainland, for examples. Only 3.0% of native Hawaiians complete 2-year associate degree programs within 2 years (only a little worse than Hawaii’s deplorable 3.2% statewide average), and only 7.3% complete 4-year degree programs within 4 years (compared to 14.9% statewide), according to Complete College America (2011).

The available research indicates that GPA and receipt of financial aid are the two primary factors that predict bachelor degree attainment for Hawaiian community college students ((Hagedorn, Lester & Tibbets, 2006; Makuakane-Drechse, Se, 2000). Other factors positively correlated with bachelor degree attainment include average credit hours (i.e. fulltime students attained more frequently than part-time students), and previous four-year institution experience (Makuakane-Dreschse, Se, 2000). Interestingly, this study found that reverse transfer students (those with four-year college credits) were 55.3% more likely to persist than students who initially began their education at a community college.

A longitudinal study by Matsumoto (2010) revealed that Native Hawaiian college completers were significantly more likely than non-completers to reside on campus, engage with their peers, and engage with faculty. Knowing all this, how can Hawaii high school college counselors better assist with college enrollment and persistence? That will be discussed next.

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A Survey of Hawaii High School College Counselors

High school college counselors in Hawaii serve gatekeeping and advisory roles generally exceeding that of many of their mainland counterparts, if for no other reason than many of the students and parents they advise often have limited direct knowledge of mainland postsecondary opportunities and realities.

Do high school college counselors really matter? According to a comprehensive study conducted by Bryan, et.al. (2011) utilizing national, longitudinal data, they do; the number of school counselors and student contacts were significant predictors of college application rates, for examples. McDonough (1997) essentially described the college counselor as a critical orchestrator of meaningful dialogue between students and their families, the school of which she/he is representing, the diverse postsecondary industry, and the greater community within which her/his employer is situated.

What factors do high school college counselors typically consider when advising their students? One study by Espinoza, Bradshaw & Hausman (2002) suggested that some high school college counselors may influence the college selection process by steering their charges away from institutions that they perceive as unresponsive to undergraduate student needs (e.g. large research universities). A dissertation by Huggins (2010) found that high school counselors working within a large public school district in Louisiana knew relatively little about community and technical colleges, and generally undervalued their promise as viable student destinations in comparison to 4-year postsecondary options.

How can high school college counselors improve their ability to effectively advise their students? What factors tend to impact their performance? A dissertation by Branham (2009) found that high school counselors in a Georgia state school district spent more time and resources advising students from middle- to high-SES backgrounds, irrespective of the counselor’s own race and gender. The study also found that that high school counselors can and do influence the student college selection process, and that students from disadvantaged backgrounds (e.g. low-SES, minority, and 1st-generation) can improve their college enrollment prospects by gleaning advice and information from not only their counselors and other adults, but also knowledgeable and savvy peers.

A literature review and study by Bauman (2004) found that high school college counselors have long been criticized for their general inability or unwillingness to gather and apply research in an effort to improve job performance. Echoing Loesch’s findings (1988), Bauman agrees that "research has not been valued, emphasized, or endorsed as an important role function for school counselors" and that this general attitude continues to persist in the profession.” The most common rebuttal to this criticism may be that most high school college counselors are essentially too busy with their work to conduct or keep up with research. Cohen

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(2006) points out that high-school counselors may be overburdened not only by their large caseloads (315 students for the average fulltime public high school counselor), but also by noncounseling tasks they are often required to accomplish, such as proctoring exams, teaching courses, or monitoring the cafeteria.

Hawaii High School College Counselors were selected as subjects for this research study for the purpose of exploring and better understanding the high school-to-college transition process for Hawaii high school students throughout the state. Primary research questions include, “throughout Hawaii state, what factors impact the college decision-making process among high school students and their parents? And, how can both high school counselors and college recruiters better serve the interests and needs of students and their parents?”

It is hoped that by ascertaining insights from this study will contribute to successful college transition processes for both students and their respective families throughout Hawaii state.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY AND DATA COLLECTION DETAILS

Survey Monkey, the popular web-based provider of survey options and solutions, was utilized for the purposes of this research project. Touting itself as a provider of survey solutions to all 100 of the Fortune 100 list of companies, Survey Monkey was selected for both its professional credibility and also ease of data collection access and processing.

Using Survey Monkey design options, twelve questions were developed, most of which were set up as Likert scale matrix of choice or rating questions that typically included a five-point selection menu (one other question was designed as a text box fill-in).

The questions were developed by Michael Weddington. Michael drew upon his past experience as an actual Hawaii high school college counselor (at St. Anthony Jr.-Sr. High School in Maui County), where he also had frequent contact with not only student and parent client populations, but fellow colleagues from throughout Hawaii state.

Survey Monkey electronically transmitted the survey questions along with an introductory invitation to 148 select Hawaii high school college counselors via email over a three week span. The counselors were located through use of UNC’s accessed list of the Hawaii Association for College Admission Counseling (HACAC) members, as well as a methodical visit to every Hawaii state high school listed in both Wikipedia and directoryofschools.com, in order to locate college counseling contacts at each secondary institution.

Of the 76 total public and private high schools listed as affiliated with HACAC, 38 schools answered the survey with at least one respondent (some schools employ multiple

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counselors) for a response rate of 50.0%, with 50 counselors responding overall (from 32 public and 18 private institutions, respectively). Of the 50 responses, 43 were answered in full (86%). Of the 38 schools responding, 20 are from the island of Oahu (County of Honolulu), 8 from Maui County (including the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai), 7 from the ‘Big Island’ and County of Hawaii, and 3 from Kauai Island and County.

Survey Monkey also provides data analysis tools, the utility of which shall be displayed in the survey results revealed below:

SURVEY RESULTS (See Below):

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1.

Discussion : It can be seen that College Fair & Recruiter Visits and College Counselors or High School Teachers are the most likely sources for college information per survey responses. The third-ranked informational option are college websites. Notably, neutral or negative responses (“neither”, “disagree” or “strongly disagree”) were absent from both College Fair & Recruiter Visits and College Counselor or Teacher responses, unlike the other response options. The least popular student choices for college information according to counselor responses were “brochure/flier/handbook” and “visiting campuses”, although “visiting campuses” rated low perhaps simply due to visitation difficulty related to the time and expense involved. This explanation is somewhat borne out by the amount of “strongly agree” responses this option garnered, which actually exceeded that of three other answers.

Counselor Implications:

College recruiter visits are highly valued College counselors are closely involved in the recruitment process College websites are an important source of information for students

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2.

Discussion : These results indicate a degree of indecision among respondents. Eight of the ten answer options received “strongly agree” ratings between roughly 55 to 66%, with no one particular answer or two emerging as a clear favorite. Perhaps more telling are the two answer options that received less than a 55% “strongly agree” rating: “Relevant website research”, and “College brochures/materials. Both received the highest proportion of “agree” responses, suggesting both are considered as valuable planning resources by a majority of counselors.

Counselor Implications:

Counselors do not clearly discriminate between college planning methods. Counselors generally share lower opinions of marketing materials and relevant website

research as college planning resource options. For those counselors interested in learning more about college planning information,

methods and approaches, the College Board provides some detailed steps and resources at: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/planning

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3.

Discussion: Counselor feedback here clearly suggests that affordability, safety and security, and academic programs are factors considered most important with regards to college planning (with location and weather placing 4th out of 12 total choices). If one word were to sum up the overall tone displayed by parents here, according to counselors, it might be ‘ pragmatic’ Interestingly, proximity to family members ranked a rather distant 5th overall, even given that many would be bidding farewell to their children as they traveled to the mainland for schooling.

Counselor Implications:

They are considerable here, as other survey results herein make it clear how important parental influence is with regards to the college selection process. With respect to factors like affordability, academic programs that align with Hawaii state’s projected needs, safety & security, and location & weather, I will share information below related to this topics with respect to locations and postsecondary institutions Hawaii state counselors deemed as most popular among their students.

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CRIME STATISTICS: POPULAR COLLEGE ATTENDANCE AREAS

Location for 2009 All property crime All violent crime Combined Indexes Hawaii State 121 63 184Honolulu 123 65 188Fort Collins, CO 108 85 193Los Angeles 80 148 228Denver 115 135 250Eugene 182 70 252Omaha , NE 135 122 257Portland 152 130 282San Francisco 142 170 312Las Vegas 110 220 330Seattle 190 150 340Tacoma, WA 235 230 465

SOURCE: www.cityrating.com Note: All figures compared against U.S. average of 100

OVERALL COST OF LIVING: SELECTED AREAS

Location for 2009 Postsecondary Institutions Include: Cost of Living Index*Omaha Creighton University 89Las Vegas University of Nevada Las Vegas 109Denver CU Denver, Metro State 110Eugene University of Oregon 112Fort Collins CSU Fort Collins 113Tacoma University of Puget Sound 113Portland University of Portland, Pacific University of Oregon 119Boulder CU Boulder 139Los Angeles UCLA, USC, Loyola Marymount 147Seattle Seattle University, University ofWashington 149San Francisco University of San Francisco 185Honolulu UH Manoa, Hawaii Pacific, Chaminade 194

* Figure includes housing, food, utilities, health, transporation, and miscellaneous items; compared to an national average baseline of 100. SOURCE: www.bestplaces.net

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ESTIMATED OVERALL COST OF COLLEGE: SELECTED CAMPUSES

Campus: Full Academic Year Costs, Most Recent Fee Schedule

University of Hawaii Hilo $ 15,500University of Hawaii Manoa $ 22,071University of Nevada Las Vegas $ 25,100 (WUE)University of Oregon $ 25,300 (WUE)Colorado State University Fort Collins $ 27,570 (WUE)Chaminade University $ 29,600 Hawaii Pacific University $ 33,920 Creighton University $ 41,200University of Washington $ 41,600Pacific University of Oregon $ 42,820CU Boulder $ 44,300University of Portland $ 47,500Seattle University $ 50,600University of San Francisco $ 50,900University of Denver $ 52,770University of Puget Sound $ 53,900Colorado College $ 54,200University of California at Los Angeles $ 54,800Chapman University $ 55,300Loyola Marymount University $ 56,900Santa Clara University $ 57,900University of Southern California $ 61,000

* Full year costs include full-time tuition (12 units per semester), lowest meal & housing plans, books, and miscellaneous undergraduate fees; Fees do not include special program

fees adjustments (e.g. nursing); WUE may not cover all academic programs at a given institution; total fee estimates do not include scholarship and financial aid awards

SOURCES: Individual college websites

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HAWAII STATE EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS *

Industry Total Jobs Projected Growth Academic Programs Needed

Education & Health Services 148,440 15.8% Education and Health

Other Services 28,360 12.4% Business Courses, etc.

Construction 40,440 7.9% Engineering, Architecture

Professional/Business Svs. 80,510 6.9% Business, Law, Computers…

Trade, Trans., & Utilities 125,300 6.2% International Relations, etc.

Self‐Employed 62,380 4.7% Business, Entreprenuership…

Leisure and Hospitality 111,450 4.3% Tourism studies, Languages..

Government 75,930 2.5% Computers, Social Sciences...

Financial Activities 29,980 2.3% Economics, Accounting….

Manufacturing 15,110 1.8% Management, Technologies..

Nat. Resources and Mining 6,990 -0.9% Environmental Sciences….

Information Management 9,920 ‐1.2% Communications, Computers.

Sources: Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations • Research and Statistics Office • Employment Projections for Industries and Occupations 2008‐2018;

(Figures Above Are 2018 Projections)

NOTE: These are only some of many academic prep programs applicable to each career field, of course.

RANKING OF CITIES BASED ON % ANNUAL POSSIBLE SUNSHINE

Las Vegas, NV 85% Omaha, NE 60%Los Angeles, CA 73% Lihue, HI 58%Honolulu, HI 71% Portland, OR 48%Denver, CO 69% Seattle, WA 43%48%Kahului, HI 67% Hilo, HI 41%San Francisco, CA 66%

Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

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4.

Discussion: Responses here essentially suggest that an enthusiastic recruiter who presents information in a vivid and memorable way, while demonstrating professional competence and an intimate knowledge of local things will achieve success. Interestingly, the factors considered by counselors to be least important with respect to a given college recruiter’s success are being local themselves or bringing a local co-recruiter (not that these factors aren’t also considered by some counselors to be helpful to the recruiting process; some clearly believe so).

Counselor Implications:

It may behoove a given Hawaii state counselor to self-prioritize and put together a list of recruiting factors and items considered to be of most importance, and then e-mail blast this list out to recruiters representing institutions of interest. Before a given recruiter makes the flight from a neighboring island or from the mainland, let them know what you really want for your students and parents. More informative and interesting presentations? More information about certain academic programs of interest to your students and parents? Let them know ahead of time, and well-meaning and responsible recruiters will appreciate the advice.

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5.

Discussion: This set of responses to the question reveal how powerful parental and familial pressures can be with respect to college choice. Although this pattern of answers seems to contradict the one above in question number # 3 (what importance do parents place upon the following college planning factors), we may simply be looking at a different set of parents and families here who largely believe they cannot afford to send their child abroad to college even if they chose to, as determined by counselors.

Counselor Implications:

The decision to remain in Hawaii state for college attendance should be acknowledged and honored by the recruiters and counselors , whether the reasons be mainly for perceived affordability, cultural familiarity, or other, unstated reasons. However, if there is interest expressed in traveling to the mainland for schooling, then factors such as affordability, safety and security, academic programs, and location come back into play with regards to the selection process.

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6.

Discussion: For students and their families that have the self-perceived resources to realistically choose from any number of attractive mainland college options, academic programs and institutional reputation were primary factors for consideration, followed by interest in a given area itself, career advancement, and wanting to start a new life. Interestingly, family proximity and parental pressure had among the highest negative ratings among the choices here, indicating that such negativity could be perceived as a rationale for mainland college choices.

Counselor Implications:

Given that there are some 2,500 4-year postsecondary institutions throughout the U.S., hundreds more 2-year institutions, and hundreds of institutions throughout the West (including Hawaii and the Pacific Coast), it is clear here that, generally speaking, Hawaii students and parents are not really picking institutions to attend based on academic program ranking and ranking based on national surveys and research provided by popular sources such as U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger’s, Kaplan, Princeton, and Forbes. As survey results below will clearly show, students and parents often attend institutions that they already know and/or hear about from family members, and respected members of their schools and communities, including their counselors.

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7.

Discussion: This survey question explored counselor-perceived reasons why students chose a particular postsecondary institution, as opposed to whether they wanted to attend college locally or on the mainland. There is a fairly close correspondence here with the answers provided in question # 3 (factors that parents place importance upon with regards to choosing an institution); affordability, academic programs, safety and security and name brand/reputation are emphasized considerations, along with parental approval itself.

Counselor Implications:

Due to the high degree of correspondence displayed with regards to what factors both parents and students agree are important with regards to choosing a particular college/university (according to counselor feedback, at least), arranging meetings that include recruiters and both students and parents may be especially helpful with regards to clarifying and identifying postsecondary institutions that appeal to both students and their parents.

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8.

Which 4-year colleges & universities do your students express the most interest in attending (Hawaii state or mainland, in no particular order), along with two reasons why for each?

RANKING BY COUNSELOR VOTES ( Each voted for between 1-6 schools )

1. UH Manoa 30 HI Public research

2. University of Hawai'i at Hilo 9 HI Public Liberal Arts

Creighton University 9 NE Catholic, Jesuit

University of Oregon 9 OR Public research

5. University of Portland 8 OR Catholic, Holy Cross Congre.

Seattle University 8 WA Catholic, Jesuit

7. University of Washington 7 WA Public research

8. University of Southern California 6 CA Private research

Hawaii Pacific University 6 HI Private, graduate

Pacific University of Oregon 6 OR Private, Liberal Arts

11. University of Nevada Las Vegas 5 NV Public research

12. University of Hawaii- West Oahu 4 HI Community 4-year

Colorado State University Fort Collins 4 CO Public research

University of San Francisco 4 CA Catholic, Jesuit

15. Kapiolani Community College 3 HI Community 4-year

Oregon State University 3 OR Public research

Santa Clara University 3 CA Catholic, Jesuit

University of Hawaii Maui College 3 HI Community 4-year

Chapman University 3 CA Private, Disciples of Christ

20. Hawaii Community College 2 HI Community 4-year

Loyola Marymount 2 CA Catholic, Jesuit

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Stanford University 2 CA Private Research

University of California at Berkeley 2 CA Public research

University of California at Los Angeles 2 CA Public research

University of Puget Sound 2 WA Private Liberal Arts

25. Boston University 1 MA

Brigham Young University 1 UT

California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo 1 CA

California State University System 1 CA

Chaminade University 1 HI

Claremont Consortium of Colleges 1 CA

Colorado College 1 CO

Cornell University 1 NY

Emerson College 1 MA

Evergreen State College 1 WA

George Washington University 1 DC

Grand Canyon University 1 AZ

Harvard University 1 MA

Humboldt State University 1 CA

La Sierra University 1 CA

Lewis & Clark College 1 OR

Linfield College 1 OR

New York University 1 NY

Occidental College 1 CA

Portland State University 1 OR

Princeton University 1 NJ

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Seattle Pacific University 1 WA

University of California System 1 CA

University of Colorado Boulder 1 CO

University of Hawaii System 1 HI

University of San Diego 1 CA

University of Texas at Austin 1 TX

University of the Redlands 1 CA

Willamette University 1 WA

Yale University 1 CT

COUNSELOR RANKINGS BY STATE

1. Hawaii 592. California 333. Oregon 294. Washington 195. Nebraska 96. Colorado 67. Nevada 58. Massachusetts 39. New York 210. Arizona 1

Connecticut 1District of Columbia (DC) 1New Jersey 1Texas 1Utah 1

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Chapman University 3

Good financial aid, West coast location, Many excellent programs, Proximity to Hawaii, Location, Outstanding campus

Colorado State University Fort Collins 4

WUE program, Away from home, Vet school, WUE, Affordability, Academic programs offered, Familiarity, Name recognition

Creighton University 9

Strong ties to Hawaii, majors, Pharmacy program, Friends attending/applying, Academic

majors/Careers, Good career/Professional school prospects, Programs offered, Reputation,

Programs of study, Good financial aid packages, Academic reputation, Merit aid offered,

Reputation for excellent pre-medical programs, Catholic/Legacy of Hawaii students,

Majors, Scholarships, Popularity of pre-allied health programs, Reputation,

Hawaii Pacific University 6

Ease of getting in, Many get scholarships, Programs offered, Scholarships, Location,

Affordability, Affordable in-state private option, Personalized, Affordability, Close but different

island, Nursing Program, Scholarships

Oregon State University 3

Programs, Cost, Lots of Hawaii kids go, academics, WUE, Lots of Hawaii kids,

Pacific University of Oregon 6

Heavily populated with Hawaiian students, Hawaii connected recruiter, Hawaiian community, Location, Majors, Scholarships, Connections with former students, Reputation,

Popularity in Hawaii, Recruiter influence and enthusiasm, Scholarship opportunities

Santa Clara University 3

Academic programs, close to home but on the mainland, Academic reputation, Location,

Academic programs, Catholic/Legacy of Hawaii students,

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Seattle University 8

Majors, Urban, Nursing, Near and in Seattle, Location, Programs of study, Location, Size,

Reputation of academic programs, Catholic/Legacy of Hawaii students, Family in the area,

Majors, Scholarships, Caring and supportive staff and faculty, Small school with many majors,

Historic Hawai'i Pacific Northwest Connection, Good school in safe area

UH Manoa 30

Close to home but on a different island, Peers attending, proximity, academic programs, Affordable, Close by, Affordability, cost, family influence, Cheaper than mainland, Not

too far from home, Proximity, Cost, Local school, Affordable, In-state tuition, Close to

family, Location, Cost, Location, Affordability, Close to home and yet distance away, Top in

Hawaii, Cheaper than mainland, Proximity, Affordability, Cost, Proximity to family in

Maui, Cost savings, Close to home, Close to home, In-state tuition, Affordability, City

environment, Affordability, Location, Affordability, Academic programs offered, Close proximity, Affordability, Affordable, Desire to stay home, Cost, Location, Cost, Close to home, Close to home but not same island, Parents affordability, Nursing, Name brand for

Hawaii, Close to home, Affordability, Affordability, Comfort, Affordability, Many

programs, Affordability, Location

University of Hawai'i at Hilo 9

Peers attending, Close to home, proximity, Hawaiian Language College, Affordability, Close to home, Location, Programs, Cost, Proximity to home/Can get in/Programs (Hawaiian cultural), Cost savings, Close to home, Oceanography program, Scholarships,

Familiar surroundings and know lots of people, Affordable, Cost, Close to home,

University of Nevada Las Vegas 5

Cost, family ties, They know people there, Parents can visit Las Vegas to see them, Exotic, Family connections, Good WUE program, Lots of local people in Vegas, Family usually lives in the area

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University of Oregon 9

Close to home with mainland influence, Peers attending/ interest in location and studies, Lots of

locals, Proximity, Football, Ease of getting in, Possible WUE scholarship, Close to home/Hawaii ties

(friends)/West Coast, Reputation, Location, Big campus with a variety of people & courses,

etc., Good sports teams, Connections with former students, want to attend west coast mainland

school, Familiarity/students and friends attending, Name recognition, Reputation, Large school atmosphere

University of Portland 8

Free application, majors, Financial aid/Merit aid, Academics, Scholarship opportunities, Hawaii ties (friends that attend there), West coast, Location, Programs of study, Location, Size, Majors, Scholarships, Good merit aid, Caring community, Historic Hawai'i Pacific Northwest Connection, Good school in a safe area,

University of San Francisco 4

Academics, City/locale, Nursing, Nearby, Location, Programs, Love the city, Proximity to Hawaii

University of Southern California 6

Urban location, academic programs, academic programming, networking, Location, Reputation, Name/Reputation, Programs of study, Location, Academic reputation, Majors, Scholarships,

University of Washington 7

Family, academics, affordability, urban location, academic programming, location, Big university spirit and athletics, Research opportunities, Attraction of large city, Lots of choices for majors,

Academic reputation, Location, Reputation of academic programs, Legacy of Hawaii

students/Family in the area,

Hawaii High School College Counselor Survey Report Page 26

C.Richard Fassler’s Research on Hawaii Student College Choices

In 2003, an article was published in the Honolulu Star Bulletin that revealed and discussed a local researcher’s findings with respect to the college student transition process in Hawaii, by C. Richard Fassler. A local author of Rainbow Kids, a study of Hawaii's hapa-haole children, who is listed with LinkedIn as an Economic Development Specialist at Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, Fassler is reported having surveyed more than 100 Hawaii college students attending colleges in Hawaii and on the mainland, as well as more than 40 high school college counselors at schools throughout the state, as part of a planned book release titled, “Hawaii’s College Guide” (Note: Fassler’s work does not show up on searches in the UNC online library, Google, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble; I was unable to ascertain his research methodology). According to Fassler’s research, these were popular college choices:

Reasons for choosing a particular college per Fassler’s findings included: To prepare oneself for a career (For local kids, the principal factor) To learn new things (educational enrichment) To have new experiences (especially travel-related). To become a responsible person (i.e. achieve independence, become a good citizen). Cost. Location. Small school versus large school (pros & cons with both). Prestige and quality (i.e. reputation of institution). Hawaii friendly (presence of several Hawaii students, a Hawaii club, etc. He notes that,

“Northern Colorado has 158 Hawaii students, a sizeable Hawaii Club, with luau, and an Ohana program where area residents "adopt" students to give them a "home away from home.” Interestingly, UNC is no longer thought of a popular destination by counselors).

Party school.

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Discussion: Lots of useful data here. Some telling observations: 25 different institutions received at least two counselor votes; 19 received at least three.

Given that there are almost 2,500 4-year postsecondary institutions in the U.S. (public and private), this is a fairly select sample preference.

Of the 19 receiving at least three votes each, 6 are public research universities, 5 are private, Catholic-run institutions; and 3 are local community colleges that also happen to offer a few 4-year degree programs.

Why so many Catholic schools? Catholicism or religion is almost never mentioned as a reason for selection. Most of these schools are Jesuit-run. They are smaller schools that may be perceived as providing safety & security, good academic programs, and good values. Interestingly, Hawaii’s only Catholic postsecondary institution-Chaminade University (a Marianist-led institution) received only 1 counselor vote total.

Dominant themes with regards to selection rationale were proximity/location, affordability/cost, quality academic programs, and a reputation for a Hawaii-connection of some kind. Affordability and proximity were especially recurrent themes for local schools UH Manoa, UH Hilo, and Hawaii Pacific University, with academic programs also a factor. For mainland schools, location, proximity to Hawaii, academic programs, reputation, scholarships, and some kind of Hawaii connection were especially important considerations.

Themes that did not show up relatively often were specific program mentions (although a few schools were recognized for programs such as nursing & health sciences), religious affiliation, and student activities, for examples.

There is a heavy Hawaii & West Coast bias to the list. 140 of 171 (over 80%) of schools receiving at least 1 vote are located in either Hawaii, California, Oregon, or Washington state. Interestingly, Oregon & Washington (the Pacific Northwest) schools received 48 combined votes, which was about 50% more than what California received and about 80% of Hawaii’s total. What accounts for this region’s popularity? Academics don’t appear to be a primary consideration. Weather? California and any number of inland states offer more sunshine and warmth, weather-wise (even factoring in humidity). Could it be related to the populations of Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders in a given state? According to the U.S. Census (see: http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-14.pdf ) of 2000, these were the leading U.S. states by Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Population (thousands):

1. California 116,961 7. Florida 8,6252. Hawaii 113,539 8. Nevada 8,4263. Washington 23,953 9. Oregon 7,9764. Utah 15,145 10. Arizona 6,7335. Texas 14,434 11. Colorado 4,6216. New York 8,818 12. Illinois 4,610

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Based on these figures, one could reason that California should dominate among mainland states with regards to postsecondary recruiting, if preponderance of Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders was a major factor (not all Pacific Islanders are Hawaiian, of course, but the great majority are). Then again, only some 20% of Hawaiians are of primary Hawaiian descent, so perhaps the “Hawaiian/Pacific Islander” affiliation is being exaggerated here (although, then again, a large percentage of the 80% of remaining Hawaiians at least possess a trace of Hawaiian lineage).

So what does account for the recruiting success of Pacific Northwest schools? Perhaps, based on the data provided herein, it is simply a combination of strong and consistent recruiting efforts on a collective level that has achieved “critical mass” in terms of establishing enduring cultural ties with Hawaiian communities and schools. Plus, the Pacific Northwest schools that are popular do offer some local ties to existing Pacific Islander culture, as well as community and campus environments that may seem safer than many provided by a number of California environments, for example. And perhaps the novelty of the Pacific Northwest outdoors offers an attractive alternative to Hawaii’s scenery, while still providing access to water (i.e. the ocean).

Counselor Implications: Creighton Sets The Bar

Perhaps one of the most telling insights revealed by the data is the prominence enjoyed by Creighton University. Why? Because they are an outlier school (Omaha, NE) that is located far from Hawaii and the west coast, and yet they rival UH Hilo and the University of Oregon as the top-ranked choice for Hawaii students after UH Manoa, according to this counselor poll. How do they do it? What can other schools and their recruiters learn from their success?

First, let us revisit the counselor comments associated with Creighton:

Strong ties to Hawaii, majors, Pharmacy program, Friends attending/applying, Academic

majors/Careers, Good career/Professional school prospects, Programs offered, Reputation,

Programs of study, Good financial aid packages, Academic reputation, Merit aid offered,

Reputation for excellent pre-medical programs, Catholic/Legacy of Hawaii students,

Majors, Scholarships, Popularity of pre-allied health programs, Reputation,

It can be seen that Creighton’s academic programs (specifically its health science programs) are a key selling point, along with its strong ties to Hawaii and its positive reputation overall. Creighton consistently ranks # 1 among Midwest colleges in terms of value, according to U.S. News & World Report. Criteria for U.S. News ranking include academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.

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Regionally, the University is ranked No. 3 for distributing the largest need-based financial aid packages and No. 3 for its six-year graduation rate. For the 2010-2011, about 20% of the freshmen class was first-generation, and about 25% individuals of color.Creighton’s total student population numbers close to 7,800, with some 4,200 undergraduates. They offer a number of professional school and doctoral programs in fields such as law, dentistry, medicine, and business administration. According to a recent poll, undergraduates especially enroll in order to study health science, business, law, and psychology,biological science, as well as a number of other fields. Located in an urban setting, Creighton is a Catholic, Jesuit-run institution.

Creighton also takes pride in its exceptional relationship with Hawaiian high schools. Touting itself as the “Maui of the Midwest”, Creighton has achieved record-breaking numbers of Hawaiian freshmen classes entering in both 2010 (84) and 2011 (80), meaning that students from Hawaii have comprised some 8% of the incoming Freshmen classes during the last two years.

How has Creighton managed to achieve so much recruiting success throughout Hawaii state? According to an insightful article in the Lincoln Journal Star (Abourezk, 2012), it is the result of a reputation of inclusiveness that welcomes Hawaiian students, excellent health science programs that Hawaiian dentists, doctors, and pharmacists are proud to display back home, and tenacious recruiting efforts by an individual referred to as "Uncle Joe" Bezousek, who serves as associate director of admissions for Creighton. For the past five years, he has reportedly gone to Hawaii five times a year to recruit.

What can other schools and their recruiters learn from Creighton’s success? For one, that geography isn’t a deal-breaker in terms of recruiting; schools east of the west coast and desert states can achieve great success in recruiting Hawaiian students. And, that developing and sustaining a reputation as a truly welcoming place for Hawaiians can bestow word-of-mouth recruitment benefits for years to come. And that establishing a brand niche with respect to certain academic programs can be leveraged for successful recruitment purposes.What the example of Creighton reveals is that a given school can definitely increase its recruitment presence and success in Hawaii state (note that according to Fassler’s 2003 popularity rankings, Creighton wasn’t even mentioned in the top 10. They have apparently worked harder since then at increasing their attractiveness and presence throughout Hawaii state). Achieving high-ranking status is an idiosyncratic phenomenon for one thing, in that a few mainland colleges have managed to achieve dominant reputational status that does not necessarily mirror their status on the mainland. By emphasizing exceptional affordability, academic programs, location, and tradition of connecting with Hawaiian students that rivals that of other schools that enjoy more recruitment success, any given school has a chance at becoming a major force upon the Hawaiian recruitment scene.

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9.

MMaxDiscussion: This survey question challenged counselor respondents with regards to a topic most high school college counselors are not necessarily well-versed in: financial aid. However, most counselors through discussions with their students are familiar with FAFSA and scholarship application procedures, and a general idea of what kinds of affordability issues arise with respect to their clientele. The responses here indicate that PELL grants, scholarships, and on/off campus jobs generally comprise a smaller percentage of their typical student’s first-year financial aid resources, compared to family contributions and student loans. That being the case what does the available data reveal?

According to available studies, Hawaii ranked 5th in median household income among the 50 states in 2008 at $67,214, which is about 30% higher than the U.S. average of $51,914 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012), and yet on the other hand Hawaii ranked 1st out of all 50 states in combined cost of living index (includes housing, food, and energy costs) at about 165% of the national average. Add the extra burden of covering the comparably high cost of sending (and bringing back on occasion) their children to the mainland for school, and it becomes apparent why affordability is such a particular concern for Hawaii students and their parents, according to surveyed counselors.

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With regards to financial aid planning, there are constraints that are part of the process. For example, the maximum PELL grant award for the upcoming 2012-2013 academic year will remain $5,550, while the minimum award will increase to $577. However, qualification standards will stiffen somewhat, with the minimum EFC (Expected Family Contribution figure) lowering to $4,995 from $5,273 (see: http://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/P1201.html for more details). Meanwhile, First-year dependent undergraduates will be eligible for a subsidized loan up to $3,500 and an additional unsubsidized amount of up to $2,000 for a total of up to $5,500 (see: http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/completing_fafsa/2012_2013/fsa.html ). College costs not covered by these resources (depending on whether a given student even qualifies, and to what extent with regards to each) will then have to be met by family contributions, federally-subsidized work study (if the student qualifies) or an unsubsidized on- or off-campus job, or higher priced loans such as the Direct PLUS loan (which puts the parents directly on the hook for repayment) or much higher priced private student loans.

Estimating first-year college expenses for one’s given student/child can be a real challenge given all of the variables and caveats involved. Making the process easier is a tool named the “Net Price Calculator” that postsecondary institutions now provide on their websites:

Net Price Calculator Estimates for Selected Campuses *

Institution Net Price

University of Hawaii Hilo $10,771 University of Southern California $11,529 **University of Hawaii Manoa $14,271University of Nevada Las Vegas $16,440 WUEUniversity of Oregon $18,300 WUEOregon State University $20,998Hawaii Pacific University $21,530Creighton University $22,564Pacific University of Oregon $23,810Seattle University $23,462University of Portland $29,180Chapman University $34,591University of Washington $39,043University of San Francisco $53,574

*Does not include federal student loans and work study; estimated need-based grants factored in; PELL grant determined by each school’s net price calculator ranged between $1200-$1600** Student highly unlikely to be admitted to USC based on student GPA and test scores below

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NOTE: Student Profile for Net Price Calculator Purposes: 18 year old dependent, unmarried Hawaii high school senior without child, entering college in Fall of 2012; Resident of Maui County living at home with 53 year old father and 50 year old mother and15 year old younger sibling; 4-person household with father, mother, and younger sibling in addition; father earned $30,000 gross in 2010-2011, mother $25,000 gross with no other income streams; $10,000 in total assets; parents filed 1040 EZ; parents paid $2000 in taxes; parents renters with no real estate holdings of any kind, or other financial assets such as stocks and bonds; student earned $2,000 gross in 2010-2011 and has savings of $500; was awarded $1,000 in scholarships outside of eligible college institutional aid; parents were not military veterans, nor alumni of institution in question; Calculated WUE as applicable as 150% of in-state tuition amount; student planning to reside on campus freshmen year; 3.25 GPA and 500 English, 480 Math SAT, 21 composite ACT and 150 combined PSAT scores used as applicable, and ranked 60th out of 300 students in 12th grade; Based on the figures above, an estimated EFC figure of $4,100 was calculated by the Federal Financial Aid Website at https://www.aidcalc.com/EFC.aspx ).

Net price calculators can only provide estimations based upon the information inputted, and are only as accurate as the information provided. And estimations often change from year to year, based on upon institutional and governmental changes to financial aid processes and amounts. However, they can at least present a realistic “ballpark” estimation of costs, all things considered. That being the case, once the maximum amount of $5,500 in undergraduate federal student loans (both subsidized and unsubsidized) is deducted from the estimated net price cost of the first year of college at a given institution, then the remainder must be covered by a combination of family savings and student employment (work study or other, on- and off-campus employment income).

However, given Hawaii state’s extremely high cost of living that more than offsets its above-average per capita household income figure, sizeable family contributions to college costs may be problematic. Meanwhile, working too much can have a detrimental impact upon student persistence and retention rates, studies show (interestingly, the same research has shown that working 15 or fewer hours per week—ideally, on campus or in a position related to one’s academic interests—has a positive effect on persistence and degree completion. A minority of working students hold such positions. See: http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentFileID=1618).

This study also revealed that, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, dependency or marital status, enrollment status, type of institution attended, or even income or educational and living expenses, 70–80 percent of students work while they are enrolled. And, among students in four-year schools, 45 percent work more than 20 hours a week. Based on the research, if a given student attempts to limit their average work week throughout the school year to 15 hours a week (and manages to secure steady vacation work for the same number of average weekly hours), then at $10 an hour, this student would only bring in about $600 gross per month,or some $7,200 for the entire year. For the average institution’s net price total for the 1st year, that still leaves a substantial sum for parents and other sources to cover.

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Perhaps the relatively greater burden that many resident parents in Hawaii state face with respect to attempting to contribute to their children’s net cost of college (i.e. because of the relatively extreme cost of residing in Hawaii) is one reason that Hawaii residents rank 47 th in the U.S. among all 50 states in the so-called “student pipeline” statistic that measures average student transition and completion rates from 9 th Grade through 4-year college degree attainment within a maximum of six years of college (only 12.5% of Hawaiians managed to so compared to a national average of 20.5; see: http://www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/index.php?submeasure=119&year=2008&level=nation&mode=graph&state=0 ).

Although studies that explore the specific reasons why students from Hawaii persist and complete 4-year degree programs at much lower rates than most of the U.S. are lacking at present, a national study conducted by the non-profit organization Public Agenda (and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) researched reasons why students drop out of college on a national level (see: http://www.publicagenda.org/files/pdf/theirwholelivesaheadofthem.pdf ). . They interviewed a nationally representative sample of 614 22-to-30-year-olds with at least some postsecondary education in 2009, and came to the following conclusions:

DROP-OUT REALITY NO. 1: Most students leave college because they are working to support themselves and going to school at the same time. At some point, the stress of work and study just becomes too difficult.

DROP-OUT REALITY NO. 2: Young people who fail to finish college are often going it alone financially. They are essentially putting themselves through school.

DROP-OUT REALITY NO. 3: Among students who don’t graduate, the college selection process is far more limited and often seems happenstance and uninformed. Among those who did not complete college, two-thirds say they selected their school primarily for its convenient location,

DROP-OUT REALITY NO. 4: Students who leave college realize that a diploma is an asset, but they may not fully recognize the impact dropping out of school will have on their future. Nearly two-thirds of young Americans who left college without finishing say that they have given a lot of thought to returning.

Counselor Implications:

Having your students accurately complete net price calculators for a given institution of interest, then having them subtract received scholarship money from that total will give you a general idea of how much out-of-pocket expense their parents will have to incur, and then in turn how much income derived from work-study and job income your students will have to earn to make ends meet. Do those figures make sense in the end?

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10.

Discussion: Out of 20 prominent career field options presented in this survey question, the ones above ranked as the most popular with Hawaii college-bound students, according to counselor feedback. Notably, they correspond fairly well to projected Hawaii state employment needs (see question # 3 results above), particularly with respect to healthcare/wellness, business/ entrepreneurship, computers, education, and hospitality/travel.

Counselor Implications:

Pushing students towards career field selection based on projected Hawaii or mainland employment needs may sound like a good thing from an economic standpoint, of course, but as counselors already know, choosing a college solely based on this factor is a potential recipe for early college dropout. It is worth knowing, however, that these career field interests generally correspond well with the career/industry fields that are projected to be among Hawaii state’s leading providers (revisit the list on page 15 above).

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11.

Discussion: At first glance, it may appear that the survey options most often deemed “very important” here indicate a cautionary assessment made by students regarding the virtues of attending a community/junior college at first, instead of a four-year institution. Affordability is stressed far more than any other option, and then proximity to family, lack of academic preparation, and proximity to friends/peer influences. A closer look, however, reveals that when “very important” and “important” are combined, “lack of career focus” and “not knowing what else to do” rank 2nd and 4th in combined popularity. This suggests that if a given 4-year college of interest can be shown to be affordable and that it has academic programs of interest to the given student, then some would-be two year college students may be better served to attend a four-year college, since attending a 4-year institution right out of high school instead of transferring into one from a 2-year college has been shown to be a better predictor of bachelor’s degree attainment or higher (see below).

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Counselor Implications:

While students who initially lean towards two-year college enrollment close to home may very well be persuaded to at least seriously consider a four-year option like UNC, a great deal of care should be taken by the recruiting team to ensure that the given student is truly making a decision that serves their best interest for both the short- and long-term. It is also worth sharing with the audience the finding from the ‘drop-out’ literature mentioned above in question # 10, that reveals how about 67% of the students who do drop out of college nationally are leaving an institution that was originally chosen in large part for its proximity to the student. This finding seems to indicate that proximity alone is no panacea for college completion success.

In terms of 4-year college degree attainment, a study by Hagedorn, Lester & Tibbets (2006) found that the proportion of students beginning in a 2-year college who earned a bachelor’s degree was statistically much lower than for those who began at a 4-year institution. The reasons for this disparity were unknown to the researchers, and prompted such follow-up questions as:Were community college students less likely to receive a bachelor’s degree because they never transferred to a 4-year institution, or could the barriers be factors within the 4-year institution encountered after transfer? In any case, this research suggests that if a given student aspires to a 4-year degree, his or her probability of achievement appears to be enhanced by enrolling directly into a 4-year degree institution from the onset.

Counselor insights that can be derived from these findings include:

Of course, generally support the notion of a 2-year postsecondary option However, point out that 2-year attendance chosen mostly for reasons of proximity to

family and friends does not necessarily bode well for completion, per the data For students desiring a 4-year degree, beginning at a 2-year institution first appears to

limit your probability of completion.

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12.

Discussion: These results indicate that valued factors directly related to college completion such as career-relevant coursework, perceived faster track to goal attainment, perceived cost-effectiveness, and more flexible class schedules are primary reasons why students choose For-Profits, per counselor feedback. In other words, students who choose For-Profits seem to believe they are getting “more bang for their buck” at such institutions, generally speaking.

However, the available data suggests otherwise. A College Board study (Baum & Payea, 2011) that utilized National Center for Education Statistics found that average published tuition and fees for full-time students at for-profit institutions are about half as high as those at private nonprofit colleges and universities, but they are much higher than those in the public sector. In 2010-11, the average price of a year at a public two-year college was 19% of the average price of a year at a for-profit institution, and public four-year tuition and fees averaged 55% of the for-profit price.

The data also reveals that the students and families least able to afford college are those who are enrolling in For-Profit institutions at the highest rates. For example, in 2007-08, among

Hawaii High School College Counselor Survey Report Page 38

dependent students in the for-profit sector, 54% came from families with incomes below $40,000. This compares to 35% of public two-year students, about 25% of public four-year students, and about 20% of private nonprofit

And yet, while charging more than public institutions on an average annual basis, For-Profits are not producing 4-year degrees, for example, in a more timely manner. According to the same study, Bachelor’s degree completion rates are much lower in the for-profit sector than in other sectors. Of first-time full-time students who began studying for a bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution in 2002, 57% earned a B.A. at the institution at which they began within six years. Completion rates averaged 65% at private nonprofit, 55% at public four-year, and 22% at private for-profit institutions. Within each racial/ethnic group, four-year degree completion rates are over twice as high in the private nonprofit sector as in the for-profit sector. Among whites and blacks, the proportion of entrants who earned a bachelor’s degree within six years was almost three times as high at private nonprofit colleges and universities as it was in the for-profit sector.

Among those students at for-profit four-year institutions, 16% of blacks and 28% of Hispanics who enrolled in 2002 had earned a bachelor’s degree six years later. Among those who enrolled at public four-year colleges and universities, 39% of blacks and 46% of Hispanics had earned degrees. The gaps between completion rates for black first-time full-time students and those for white and Asian students are larger in the for-profit sector than in the public and private nonprofit sectors.

Finally, among those students who chiefly desire only career-relevant coursework and more scheduling flexibility than typically offered by traditional publics and private non-profits, and who really aren’t interested in the well-rounded experience provided by traditional brick-and-mortar institutions, a much more cost-effective option for at least Hawaiians is Western Governors University, which charges about $6,000 a year in tuition, or less than half of that of the average For-Profit such as University of Phoenix, Capella University, Kaplan, or Walden University. According to a report by the Washington Monthly news magazine (Gravois, 2011), Western Governors (which is a non-profit) produces degrees at about the same rate as the average For-Profit, time-wise, but has a much higher average retention rate. As Western Governor’s own website advertises, they offer online degrees that are competency-based (based on what students already know and can demonstrate, employment-wise), and that this educational option is available in all 50 states.

Counselor Implications:

Hawaii students and their families who seek 4-year college completion in a more timely and affordable manner are best served by enrolling in public 4-year in-state options or public out-of-state options that offer applicable WUE programs (there also a few private non-profit 4-year options that may be more affordable as well, such as Harvard, Stanford

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and USC’s very generous tuition discounts for lower-income students that meet the rigorous entry requirements for such institutions).

For-profits are legitimate options for students who require especially flexible schooling options, and are simply disinterested in anything but directly relevant coursework, However, Western Governor’s does provide a non-profit option that offers the same advantages and programs that For-Profits do at a substantially lower price.

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